Munch's New Houseguest
by Alliys
Summary: Fluffy piece about Munch adjusting to having his niece stay with him. Not really set in a season but I'm going to say 10, because I'll probably do more with this character. Please review!
1. Say it Ain't So

Fin was watching his partner through narrowed eyes. Something was wrong. Having been partners with John Munch for several years, he could read even when the man was happy, angry, depressed, whatever. Even when he wasn't doing his usual griping to tell everyone in the room what was wrong or right in his life. John was talking on the phone and he looked both surprised and annoyed.

"Fine!" he stated stonily when, upon hung up by banging the phone down, John saw Fin's eyes on him. "What?" Fin snickered and said,

"Hey, man , remember you're mad at the phone- not me."

"Yeah." John said. "Well, because I know you're about to ask..." Fin interrupted,

"I didn't ask." But Munch was ready to vent.

"I'm getting a house guest. My niece. For about a year." John continued. Fin raised his eyebrows.

"I didn't know you had a niece," he stated.

"Yeah well my brother didn't exactly honor his vows, but one managed to exist. And she is going to be _living _with _me_ until he pulls his life together, because _apparently_ the maternal grandparents she was living with died.

"Whoa. That's going to be weird... for her. So, she look like you?"

"Not that I recall," John said, "but I've actually only seen her in person right after she as born, and a picture of her at age five. Well, that was ten years ago."

"Still…no offense, but _you_?"

"Offense taken! Well. What her filthy rich granddad's will executer wants, her filthy rich granddad's will executer gets. And he wants her to have a legal guardian, but my brother isn't exactly father material and I quote "boarding schools don't continue to be an option". And with all the money her maternal side have given to the NYPD, if he want her to have a safe place in the middle of New York, she can have one police plaza if she wants.

"Huh. You're gonna be a dad." Fin said, laughing, and then turned away from his partner's grumpy face.


	2. PRESENTING

Later that day, Fin was going through some tedious paperwork when a pretty teenage girl wandered out of the elevator, black messenger bag slung over her shoulder. The girl had gray eyes, freckled skin, and long and auburn hair, but somehow she made him think of his earlier conversation with Munch. One of her slender hands rested on her bag, and in the other was a scrap of paper clutched between unpainted fingernails. On her face was somewhat of a lost expression, but also a resolute one. Fin was sure this girl was Munch's niece, but before he could say anything, Stabler noticed her.

"Hi, Can I help you?" he said.

"I'm looking for..."she paused and glanced at the paper in her hand, with the air of someone who knew exactly what it said but was checking anyway, for appearances- "Detective John Munch?"

"Sergeant Munch isn't here right now." Stabler stated, "but I'm sure I could help you. " He looked bewildered that this girl was so insistent to see Munch. The girl grinned charmingly and said,

"I'm pretty sure you _can't_. Actually..." the girl was interrupted when Fin broke into the conversation.

"I think she's John's niece" he said.

"And _there _it is" the girl aborted her thought.

"Oh. " John said, overhearing and walking up to the group, "So you're Arielle?"

"Err, I actually prefer Ari, but the implication is the same- I'm your niece, it's been about a decade since we last met, and yet _you _good sir get the fortune of your own pet teenager" Ari stated humorously after pivoting to face John.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Ari." Stabler said. "I'm Elliot, and this is Fin."

"Hello, Elliot, Fin" Ari pivoted back. She shook their hands, and both cops were surprised at her firm handshake. "Ari Holt. Very nice to meet you." Upon Tutuola and Stabler wandering away to give them privacy, John turned to his niece and said,

"So. Well, I guess you can call me John. Here is a key for my apartment, and you have the address" he pulled a key out of his pocket, "your room is the first door on the left. I get off early today so we'll be able to…uh…catch up then.

"Okay, great. Thanks." Ari said. "But I think you should be clear on a few things" she continued. John braced himself, waiting for a list of clubs and school events and practices he's have to fill in the parental role for, foods he'd have to buy and other teen-related things he was very much not ready to deal with. He didn't even know what to say to a teenage girl who hadn't been raped or otherwise violated, or else wasn't a perp themselves.

"Well," Ari started, "I know you must expect to be doing some filling-in-for-parent stuff. But the truth is anything I need, I buy, anywhere I have to be, I get myself there. I'm really sorry I'm inconveniencing you by even just staying at your apartment and such, but apparently there are laws about under eighteens having 'legal guardians' and my granddad's stogy old lawyer is very insistent on my not continuing on in boarding schools. Those didn't work out well with me" She shook her head and smiled "what I'm trying to say is that I'll try to be as little of a bother as possible." John was surprised but also very relieved.

"Um, alright. That's really good to hear, actually" he said. The two of them stood in a moderately uncomfortable silence until Ari said

"Well, this has been...sufficiently awkward. I'm just gonna...make my exit then. I'll see you later" She gave an apologetic little shrug and smile and turned on her black booted heel. Munch stood there for a moment, just to process everything, and then returned to his desk.


	3. The Little Things

"Favorite color?"

"Black is a classic"

"Very true, but a _shade._ Ugh, okay. Your turn."

"Conspiracy theories"

"Some are just the crazy rantings of paranoid minds, but it's simplistic and naive to believe that the government is totally open with the masses. Some have to be true, but they're hidden under the bad rep the truly insane ones give the whole idea."

"Good answer" Munch said and looked up at the ceiling as if for inspiration. Although initially awkward, he and Ari had stated to get to know each other by rattling off ideas or topics or categories, to see how the other felt about them. And they were surprisingly in sync.

"Hey. My turn. And…your job?"

"Oh." Munch said, not prepared for this one. "I like it- as much as someone can. I feel like I'm helping people more then I could when I worked homicide. Still it gets to you. Better now that I'm a sergeant, but…the victims never leave you." He thinned his lips, deciding that he'd said too much to this young girl who was regarding him so solemnly. "Nothing you'll have to worry about, though. How about you? What are you thinking for a future profession?"

"Oh you're not gonna like this."

"Try me"

"Lawyer" "Hey, don't give me that incredulous look. If you can honestly say that you've never had an _innocent _man or women put on trial, then I will desert the idea completely. The profession will be obsolete. So?"

"Touche" was all John could respond.

"That's what I thought" Ari grinned, pleased with herself.

"Well then." John said. "Christ, it's late."

"At this point I'd dare say it's early."

"Do you…you have school, right?"

"Yeah, that thing."

"Are you registered? Do I have to do something?"

"Calm down sergeant, I've got it all under control. My gpa's estate lawyer signed all the papers ages ago, before you consented to house me. He just assumed you would."

"It seems I never had any control over this at all."

"Don't worry sergeant. I'm good company." Ari said, easily swiping one of his fedoras from the counter and placing on her own head, tilting it forward. "And on that note, I bid you good night."

As she spun- literally, spun, into her room, John couldn't help the fond grin that was on his face. He had known this kid for less than 24 hours, and yet she was already growing on him. It was more than her charm though. He'd had four wives, and none had lasted very long at all. It had been quite some time since the fourth. He'd been alone for that whole time, and hadn't even thought about the idea of having a family. After all, how could he give a kid the responsibility of him? But with Ari, he was realizing that the good company might be worth it after all.


End file.
